Alstroemeria plant named ‘Koexotica’

ABSTRACT

A new and distinct cultivar of  Alstroemeria  plant named ‘Koexotica’, characterized by its compact and mounded growth habit; yellow and red-colored flowers; and good postproduction longevity.

Botanical classification/cultivar designation: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Koexotica.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

The present Invention relates to a new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant, botanically known as Alstroemeria hybrida, commercially used as a container-grown Alstroemeria, and hereinafter referred to by the name ‘Koexotica’.

The new Alstroemeria is a product of a planned breeding program conducted by the Inventor in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands. The objective of the breeding program was to develop new compact container-grown Alstroemeria cultivars with an early and freely flowering habit, attactive flower colors and excellent postproduction longevity.

The new Alstroemeria originated from a cross-pollination made by the Inventor in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands, of a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as 4072-3, not patented, as the female, or seed, parent with a proprietary Alstroemeria hybrida selection identified as 03-0-MAD, not patented, as the male, or pollen, parent. The new Alstroemeria was discovered and selected by the Inventor as a flowering plant within the progeny of the stated cross-pollination in a controlled environment in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands on Jul. 12, 2000.

Asexual reproduction of the new cultivar by root divisions taken in a controlled environment in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands, since Jul. 12, 2000, has shown that the unique features of this new Alstroemeria are stable and reproduced true to type in successive generations of asexual propagation.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Plants of the cultivar Koexotica have not been observed under all possible environmental conditions. The phenotype may vary somewhat with variations in environment such as temperature and light intensity without, however, any variance in genotype.

The following traits have been repeatedly observed and are determined to be the unique characteristics of ‘Koexotica’. These characteristics in combination distinguish ‘Koexotica’ as a new and distinct cultivar:

-   -   1. Compact and mounded growth habit.     -   2. Yellow and red-colored flowers.     -   3. Good postproduction longevity.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can be compared to plants of the parent selections. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the parent selections in growth habit as plants of the parent selections are not as compact as plants of the new Alstroemeria. In addition, plants of the new Alstroemeria and the parent selections differed in flower coloration.

Plants of the new Alstroemeria can also be compared to plants of the cultivar California, not patented. In side-by-side comparisons conducted in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands, plants of the new Alstroemeria differed from plants of the cultivar California in the following characteristics:

-   -   1. Plants of the new Alstroemeria were much more compact than         and not as upright as plants of the cultivar California.     -   2. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had shorter leaves than plants         of the cultivar California.     -   3. Plants of the new Alstroemeria had smaller inflorescences and         smaller flowers than plants of the cultivar California.     -   4. Plants of the new Alstroemeria and the cultivar California         differed in flower coloration as plants of the cultivar         California had solid yellow-colored flowers.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE PHOTOGRAPHS

The accompanying colored photographs illustrate the overall appearance of the new Alstroemeria, showing the colors as true as it is reasonably possible to obtain in colored reproductions of this type. Colors in the photographs may differ slightly from the color values cited in the detailed botanical description which accurately describe the colors of the new Alstroemeria.

The photograph at the top of the sheet comprises a side perspective view of a typical flowering plant of ‘Koexotica’ grown in a container.

The photograph at the bottom of the sheet is a close-up view of typical flowers of ‘Koexotica’.

DETAILED BOTANICAL DESCRIPTION

The aformentioned photographs, following observations and measurements describe plants of the new Alstroemeria grown in 33-cm containers in Nieuwveen, The Netherlands in a glass-covered greenhouse for 19 weeks and then grown in an outdoor nursery for four additional weeks. During the production of the plants, day temperatures ranged from 9 to 35° C. and night temperatures ranged from 2 to 16° C. Plants used for the photographs and description were about 23 weeks old. The photographs and the description were taken during the early summer. Color references are made to The Royal Horticultural Society Colour Chart, 1995 Edition, except where general terms of ordinary dictionary significance are used.

-   Botanical classification: Alstroemeria hybrida cultivar Koexotica. -   Parentage:     -   -   Female parent.—Proprietary Alstoemeria hybrida selection             identified as 4072-3, not patented.         -   Male parent.—Proprietary selection of Alstroemeria hybrida             identified as 03-0-MAD, not patented. -   Propagation:     -   -   Type.—By root divisions.         -   Root description.—Fibrous, fleshy, thick; white, close to             155D, in color.         -   Rooting habit.—Freely branching.         -   Rhizomes.—Shape: Elongated; rounded. Length: About 8.1 cm.             Diameter: About 9 mm. Texture: Smooth. Color: 161C; towards             the apex, 158D. -   Plant description:     -   -   Plant habit.—Compact and mounded; upright and outwardly             spreading; freely branching, bushy appearance. Vigorous             growth habit.         -   Plant height.—About 39 cm.         -   Plant diameter (spread).—About 41 cm.         -   Flowering stem description.—Aspect: Mostly upright to             outwardly spreading. Length: About 39 cm. Internode length:             About 4.3 cm. Strength: Strong. Texture: Glabrous, smooth.             Color: 199A; random spots, 134B.         -   Foliage description.—Length, largest: About 13.5 cm. Width,             largest: About 3.4 cm. Shape: Lanceolate. Apex: Acute. Base:             Attenuate; sessile. Margin: Entire. Texture, upper and lower             surfaces: Smooth, glabrous. Venation pattern: Parallel.             Color: Developing foliage, upper surface: 144A. Developing             foliage, lower surface: 146B. Fully expanded foliage, upper             surface: 137A. Fully expanded foliage, lower surface: 137B.             Venation, upper surface: 150B. Venation, lower surface:             140A. -   Flower description:     -   -   Flower type and habit.—Single cup-shaped flowers arranged in             compound umbels. Flowers face upright to outwards. Perianth             segments separate. Freely and continuously flowering.             Flowers not persistent.         -   Natural flowering season.—Flowering continuous from late             spring to the fall in The Netherlands.         -   Fragrance.—None detected.         -   Flower longevity on the plant.—About one to three weeks.         -   Flower longevity as a cut flower.—About one to two weeks.         -   Flower buds (showing color).—Length: About 3.5 cm. Diameter:             About 1.5 cm. Shape: Ovoid. Color: 46A; towards the apex,             138A.         -   Umbel height.—About 12.7 cm.         -   Umbel diameter.—About 13.8 cm.         -   Number of flowers per umbel.—About 4 to 15.         -   Flower height.—About 6.6 cm.         -   Flower diameter.—About 4.7 cm.         -   Perianth.—Arrangement: Six arranged in two whorls, each             whorl with two lateral and one median segments. Size, inner             perianth segments: Length, lateral segments: About 6 cm.             Length, median segment: About 4.9 cm. Width, lateral             segments: About 1.8 cm. Width, median segment: About 1.5 cm.             Size, outer perianth segments: Length, lateral segments:             About 5.2 cm. Length, median segment: About 5.5 cm. Width,             lateral segments: About 2.8 cm. Width, median segment: About             2.7 cm. Shape, inner perianth, all segments: Lanceolate.             Shape, outer perianth, all segments: Obovate. Apex, inner             perianth, all segments: Acute; mucronate. Apex, outer             perianth, all segments: Emarginate. Base, inner and outer             perianths, all segments: Attenuate. Margin, inner perianth,             all segments: Entire. Margin, outer perianth, all segments:             Slightly crenate. Texture, inner and outer perianths, all             segments: Smooth, glabrous. Color, inner perianth: When             opening, lateral segments, upper surface: 154A; towards the             apex, 45A. When opening, median segment, upper surface:             151D. When opening, lateral segments, lower surface: 151A;             towards the apex, 45A. When opening, median segment, lower             surface: 151A. Fully opened, lateral and median segments,             upper surface: 9A; apical spot, 45A; color becoming closer             to 17A with development; stripes, purplish close to 187A.             Fully opened, lateral segments, lower surface: 14A; apical             spot and towards the base, 45A. Fully opened, median             segment, lower surface: 13B; apical spot, 45A. Color, outer             perianth: When opening, lateral and median segments, upper             surface: 151A; central spot, 45B. When opening, lateral             segments, lower surface: 46A; towards the margins, 150B.             When opening, median segment, lower surface: 46A; towards             the margins, 9B. Fully opened, lateral segments, upper             surface: 14A; apical spot, 44A; color becoming closer to 17A             with development. Fully opened, median segment, upper             surface: 9A; apical spot, 45A; color becoming closer to 17A             with development. Fully opened, lateral segments, lower             surface: 46A; towards the margins, 9B. Fully opened, median             segment, lower surface: 9B; apical spot, 44A.         -   Pedicels.—Length: About 1.9 to 2 cm. Diameter: About 1.5 to             2 mm. Strength: Strong. Angle: About 20 to 30° from             vertical. Texture: Smooth, glabrous. Color: 200A; spots,             138B to 141D.         -   Reproductive organs.—Stamens: Quantity per flower: Six.             Anther shape: Oval. Anther length: About 0.8 mm. Anther             diameter: About 0.3 mm. Anther color: 146B. Pollen amount:             Abundant. Pollen color: 7A. Pistils: Quantity per flower:             One. Pistil length: About 4.2 cm. Style length: About             3.5 cm. Style color: 33B. Stigma color: 42A. Ovary color:             200C.         -   Seed.—Seed development has not been observed.         -   Fruit.—Shape: Globular. Length: About 1.8 cm. Diameter:             About 1.1 cm. Color: 199A. -   Disease/pest resistance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have not     been observed to be resistant to pathogens and pests common to     Alstroemerias. -   Temperature tolerance: Plants of the new Alstroemeria have been     observed to tolerate temperatures from 0 to 40° C. 

1. A new and distinct cultivar of Alstroemeria plant named ‘Koexotica’, as illustrated and described. 